I just purchased a Proto 2000 Frisco E8 from a gentleman here in Union who converted from HO to O scale. I got it for an amazing $20.00. It looks mint and runs great, except I noticed that the rear wheels on the front truck bob up and down as it moves down the track, causing it to derail in some spots, especially on a curve where I have a "paved" crossing. The motion is similar to car traveling down the interstate with a tire out of balance. If anyone can shed some light on why the wheels are doing this and how it can be corrected, it would be greatly appreciated. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
Pat - First thing I would do is to pull the offending wheelset out of the truck and take a look at it. It could be that the axle is bent, the wheel is not mounted true, or, quite possible, that the plastic gear thingy is broken or that the wheel is not set in it fully. Could also be that the bearing block is worn. Pull the wheelset out and let us know what it looks like. Take the clip off the bottom of the truck by prying it off with a thin screwdriver and the wheelset will drop out with a little urging. Ken
Pat, Ken has the idea. You most likely find that the black plastic gear that connects both axle halves has cracked and split. Inspect all six axle gears closely since this is a common issue with early Proto 2000 locomotives. Be careful of the moveable journal boxes that are on the truck frames at the axle ends; the can pop out but can easily be popped back into place in the sideframes. The cracked axle gears can be replaced with Athearn #60024 axle gears.
Thanks, Ken and Keith. After I posted this thread last night, I knew there would probably be a solution by morning and I was right. I removed the clips off of the bottom of the truck with a jeweler's screw driver and inspected the gears. I couldn't find any cracks or other problems with the gears, although I know that this is a problem with the P2K models of about 10-12 years ago as Keith said. I rolled the wheels across the kitchen table and did not notice any wobbling, such as would be caused by a bent axle. The only thing I could find wrong was the spacing of the wheels. Since I don't have an NMRA gauge, I used a Kadee wheelset to check the gauge of the wheels and found the front and rear sets to be narrow by little more than just a hair width. The wheels can slide on the axle, so I was able to move them out to where the flanges lined up with the flanges on the Kadee wheels. I reassembled everything and ran it 10 laps clockwise on the dogbone without any derailments. Prior to doing this it couldn't make one lap around. Still don't know what caused the bobbing motion of the rear wheelset, but that's gone too. Perhaps I inadvertenly adjusted something when I reassembled the truck. I could also take my finger and lightly push against the journals on the rear axle while the unit was setting still and it would derail, but now the wheel flanges set firm against the inside of the rails. As Keith said would happen, five out of six journal boxes came popping out, but they snapped back in pretty easily. I'm thankful to have found such a nice model for a bargain. Thanks again. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
Pat, Sounds to me that the wheel flanges were a bit out of alignment. When you did your dismantle job you fixed the problem. I suspect it was a gear out of alignment or had a burr of some kind in the wheel set. George
I'm glad you fixed your problem. In my humble opinion, everyone should have at least one of the Proto 2000 E8s in the Frisco livery. They are beautiful models to look at, they run as good as they look, and when you add Soundtraxx Tsunami sound with the Dual 567 prime mover, they sound great to boot and run even better!
Other threads related to the Proto 2000 E8s: http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?3633-HO-LL-Racehourse&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...2K-E8-Decoder-Install&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...Nose-Coupler-Cover...&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?4388-Tsunami-in-Proto-2000-E8!&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?3691-E-8-paint-diagrams&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...ing-the-E8-Racehorses&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?1541-E8-s&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...-quot-Racehorses-quot&highlight=proto+2000+e8 http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?2401-Nose-Frisco-coonskin-P2K-E8-s&highlight=proto+2000+e8
George, I also suspect that there may have been more to it than the wheels being out of gauge, although I don't know what it was and probably just fixed it by accident when I reassembled it. I've been running it continuously for the past two hours and there haven't been any additional problems. I backed it through a couple of no. 6 turnouts, hooked three IHC streamliners up to it, and it's been running just fine. Keith I agree, I think this is one of the best models of a Frisco diesel produced. I love that mars light! Neat feature on a DC model. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
While it may not qualify to go here: http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...orite-Frisco-model!&highlight=Favorite+Frisco as your "Favorite Frisco Model," there can never be too many photos of E-8's especially since it now runs well. Please show us what this one looks like! George
I'll see if I can snap a photo or two of it. My little Canon digital camera is just about ready to bite the dust. I was down in Crawford County last month snapping photos of the Lead Line when it finally got to where it wouldn't stay on. I thought it was the batteries, so I charged them when I got home, but it still wouldn't stay on. In fact, the lense froze while it was extended. I would love to post some photos of it, as it is the best looking locomotive that I have. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
